Giants

Giants! Could this be real? Taller than the average person, much stronger like superman, and huge in overall appearance… Well, today dominated by the media industries: especially through fictions and novels, giants are seemingly becoming one of the most imaginable character realistically designated.Well first of all, upon creation man was created perfect in the image of God as stated in Genesis chapter 1:27. Due to the fall of man and introduction to sin, mankind degraded through time in size and righteousness. Or in other words as time gradually ticked by, man increase within sin while decrease in size and righteousness. Thus saying, the first three generations of humanity would be considered giant compared to humanity's generation today. But that is not "the" giant that I'm referring to!

Metaphorically speaking from my perspective, there were giants back in Bible times. So what does God say about giants? Well in the book of Genesis 6: 4 it reads, “There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown." That is to say, the offspring to the sons of God and daughters of men were in fact these giants. To further understand these giants, we have to first know who were the sons of God and daughters of man. 

So within this scenario, we have to first understand the nature of mankind. Humanity was created perfect in the beginning in God's very own image. But due to the fall of man, the generation that followed after the incident were naturally born into sin and suffered the consequences of sin: as stated in Genesis 3. From my perspective I would say, the sons of God referred to the remnant church or faithful followers of God during those times. The the descendants of Adam and Eve who actually kept God's ways or instructions which were passed down from their ancestors: Adam and Eve. The daughters of men here within this scenario were also descendants of Adam and Eve: but were the descendants of Adam and Eve who went astray: gave into their sinful nature as stated in Genesis 6:5 (And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil CONTINUALLY).  

 The giants here within this scenario were actually the offspring of those descendants of Adam and Eve who actually keep God's instructions (passed down from their ancestors Adam and Eve: sons of God) and those descendants of Adam and Eve who knew God's instructions but went astray following their (mankind's) sinful nature! . The Hebrews nephilim, means “violent” or “causing to fall” (Genesis 6:4). These were the violent tyrants of those days, those who fell upon others. The word may also be derived from a root signifying “wonder,” and hence “monsters” or “prodigies.” These were not demi gods or some superhero looking figure like how the cartoons and media nowadays normally illustrate, but this were human beings of knowledge and understanding which cause people to go astray from God (corruption oriented). Or in other words, "Wolves in sheep's clothing". Like the Bible says, "they were mighty men!" Meaning, with their persuasions, lies and deceitfulness , they were able to draw out strong men/sons of God into the further: satan's pit! 

There are many giants that can be found today in this sinful world. Many in the music industry, some in Sports, some movie stars, some are even presidents, etc.. . These are people who are not in accord with God, and lead many multitudes (especially the young generation of today: future leaders of Christ's Church) astray, and further into the darker, gloomy pits of hell. Or in other words, these are people in which the devil uses fig-literally to distract your mind from God, and pull you into his pits! There can be many giants today! Some you may even know of... But one thing's for sure is that, with God The Father, Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit as our weapon, armor, and captain, every giant that come our way may be defeated...




Some Examples of Giants in today's generation...

 

"See", I mean see, just see!

Legacy of Leadership

Gazing down behind the statue of Sir Andrews himself and his counterparts, looking directly toward the direction the statue is pointing to, we can now see the beautiful scene and wonderful sight of James White Library. Here within this scene, the statue points directly in a straight-line toward the entrance of James White library (which was a marvelous and brilliant design by the designer).  So what's so important about the direction in which such a legacy (in his generation) like Sir Andrews (his statue) would be pointing or directing our focus to? Well, James White Library of course! The entrance to James White Library. Well I think there must be something so important that the designer's trying to illuminate.

Here above the main entrance to James White library, you'l find this magnificent symbol which was artistically designed for display. Looking back west toward the direction facing the statue of "Legacy of Leadership", you'll notice how straight and direct it is to the statue. Here, the symbol itself illuminate the vast most rich texture toward the meaning of the symbol in a holistic manner.

In general, the symbol represents or illuminates our God (as Seventh Day Adventist) up in heaven. The triangle represents our Trinity God: God The Father, God The Son and God The Holy Spirit. As you all know, our Trinity God are three persons in union, one accord or oneness. Two words, "perfect submission". Yes, thus describing the character of our God, "LOVE". God is love and love is God. Trinity illustrates perfect everlasting love (within heavenly community). Within the triangle we have the circle. The circle here symbolizes perfect submission, unity, equality, and oneness within the Trinity God Heads and their heavenly community. Basically speaking, the lamp here is an instrument used to produce light. The lamp represents God's church, his disciples, followers of Jesus Christ, or Christians: which are commissioned to shine God's light to this sinful earth. The circle in this scenario is in fact the light the lamp produces. Or in other words, the light is God. Every lamp that shines light requires oil right? Well, the oil to the lamp is none other than the Holy Spirit. So how can one acquire Him? Simply by absorbing, sucking and acquiring Him (The oil) from the Holy Scriptures or Holy Bible and praying willingly, hundred percent fully and truly with an open heart .

Yes, this was who the legacy himself Sir Andrews previously directed our focus to in the beginning of our field trip. Nothing is so important worth knowing while here on earth, rather than our God Himself. Yes, indeed, because He is life! Because of sin, the relationship between God and man was broken. And the wages of sin was and is still death (until Jesus Christ returns). But thank goodness for Jesus Christ, now we all can be saved: or have life eternally (as stated in John 3:16). But God gave the power of choice to every human being alive, or once lived on earth simply because He is love and love is God. 

Testimony of my beloved Andrews Study Bible

Life was just simple, too simple. Well, it all started back home in my home country Papua New Guinea. I’d say, my life started as simple as can be in Papua New Guinea’s capital city, Port Moresby. Like many ordinary grassroots kid in Port Moresby, I grew up with a staple food of rice, fish, greens, and sweet potatoes.  We’re only two in the family, me and my small sister (and I hate being the big one: too much responsibility). As funny as it may seem, my mom is originally from two provinces within Papua New Guinea (New Ireland and Madang Province), and so is my dad (from Western Highlands and Enga Province: but grew up in Western Highlands due to family issues). Well, I on the other hand consider myself to be “all in all”, if you know what I mean. My mom was born a Seventh Day Adventist while my dad Catholic: which later converted to Seventh Day Adventist while I was around nine years of age, due to God’s love and grace I believe.  To cut the long story short, I spend most of my childhood all by myself (which I like too) because I believe my mom and dad loved my small sister too much. “Dady’s little girl and Mumy’s little princess!” I thought to myself as I watched her happily play. Anyways, that don’t really happen today since I’m a grown up and strongly believe and know it’s not true!

I like being all alone by myself, especially during my adolescent and childhood years. I enjoy drawing (which I was previously good at), swimming, playing soccer, playing guitar, and watching Rugby League. In church, especially during my Adventurer and Pathfindering years, I was considered that “goody goody shy boy type” that is like a mute at first sight, stupid when you get to know him, and strange (awkward) in overall personality and appearance. And that’s my opinion! Anyways, in primary school I get teased and bullied a lot by my classmates, or so called “friends”. During my ninth and tenth grade in high school, I went from being quiet to extremely being quiet. In which I decided to look for friends and started smoking weed and drinking alcohol with my peers, which eventually got me missing most of my classes at tenth grade. When my parents moved to Mt Hagen (one of the remote parts of Papua New Guinea: The Highlands), I dropped out of high school due to limited vacancies within the Province’s high schools. Apart from that, I did upgrade and acquire my high school certificate in Mt Hagen Open Campus just to pass time and at least learn something.

Girls! I had never really had a girlfriend in my adolescence years up until now (due to the fact that I’m partly dis-socialized: and have absolutely no idea, the skill and method some of my friends use to acquire one).  Once I tried asking a girl out back home in Papua New Guinea. She said yes but our relationship lasted only for half a day due to the fact that I freaked out, was speechless the entire time and smiled like weird crazy with my eyes wide opened, plus pupils spinning like an ape! I know, that’s embarrassing, luckily none of my friends or relatives were there to see us. When being asked the question about one, I always pretend to be tough and self-disciplined while avoiding the matter. But I hate the word virgin, it makes me feel useless and wasted (in terms of assets produced but not really being used at all). On the other hand, I like being drunk, looking like a wild sexiest but I hate wet dreams simply because it keeps fooling around with me a lot. Anyways, alcohol was my girlfriend during those years.

My life was like totally wild and crazy during those years back then. Rage, anger and hatred towards the world, my state of being alive and myself, was all I need as fuel to keep the fire burning.  I was totally disobedient and out of control with regards to my parents. The cause of it all was simply because of not being in college (I thought my parents loved my small sister too much that they neglected me)! I was attending International Training Institute at that time. I even had friends who were criminals and Satanist. Dam, I even owned an unlicensed firearm (homemade) just for protection in case things headed south while the fire was still burning within me.  I became so hermit-like that I literally had friends and family but fig literally had none.  Alcohol was my only happiness and medicine!  

One Friday evening, my best friend, his cousin and I went out for a drink (as usual). It turned out to be more than one: heading to boxes and a line of bottles, if you know what I mean. In the middle of our conversation, suddenly the issue of “who is the true God “, emerged. Surprisingly, I was going for God in heaven and they were going for their traditional gods. All I could remember from this debate was their questions, “how could you prove that the Holy Bible is actually God’s Word? It could be written by anyone and modified by anyone during time itself. How credible is the Holy Bible of actually being God’s Word?” After a fight, we went our separate ways. But their questions were still penetrating through my skull. It was weird because I know I was drunk, but my state of conciseness was clear as crystal as if my brain was working normally in accord to my thinking capacity. To cut the long story short, I went home and found my mom’s Holy Bible (simply because I miss-placed mine) and started reading. I told her all about it, and she bought me an Andrews Study Bible as a gift. After a few months of attending church, I was baptized.

Returning to Port Moresby in the beginning of last year was sort of new to me, after being away for years. Yes, things were different now. All my friends and peers were already grown up, some even married and the city as a whole totally changed in appearance. I still had my Andrews Study Bible during that time. Due to lack of spiritual growth by not reading my Andrews Study Bible daily, I found myself consuming alcohol again with some of my old friends from high school. Things went from point “T” to point “A” all over again. During January last year, I decided to apply for “BBA” in Andrews University (out of sheer luck).

Following the acquiescence of my acceptance letter for Andrews University, some of the strangest things in my life started to occur. And yes, I still had my Andrews Study Bible during that time. Anyways, I started hearing voices that someone (a criminal military) was trying to kill me. I know, sounds odd! Anyways, doors and things in our house started moving untouchably which was really annoying, scary, and surprising to me, when I’m awake in the middle of the night. I kept hearing this voices coming from the houses next door. And trust me, it wasn’t really that pleasant at all! I was totally restless and scared to death during those months. I told my parents about my situation, but they did not even believe me. Because I could not gain my parents’ belief and trust in my situation, I started having sleepovers with my friends: simply because I was scared like crazy! Anyways to cut the long story short, one Sunday afternoon I just felt so restless, depressed (because of my very own family and friends could not even believe in me), and tired that I lost my normal mental capability to handle this situation. I went to a chemist shop down town, pretended to be sick, and bought two packets of medicine/tablets. To be exact, I bought a packet of 500 mg capsule Amoxicillin and 100 mg capsule Panadol thinking they would work in the event of taking my own life. Sitting down on a hill looking toward my old primary school, I drank all the tablets (both boxes) while spending what I believe to be my last moments here on earth, reading my Andrews Study Bible thinking I would die and go to heaven. I know, sounds weird! Then I got a phone call from my dad persuading me by literally asking me to visit a pastor with my mom that afternoon. To cut to the chase, I presented my story to the pastor and he said it was the devil. He then made a dedication prayer for me. After my parents dropped me off at my friend’s place to spend the night, I started feeling the effect of the pills during that time. My saliva started gushing out of my mouth, while I tried desperately to swallow it all back in. Anyways to cut the long story short, I slept that night with the following prayer, “Dear Jesus, I’m worthless and nothing. If you want me to die then let me die. If you want me to live then let me live. I live everything to your hand. Amen.”  Waking up the next morning surprisingly, excited and weak to my amazement that I was still alive, I went down on my knees and completely confessed and repented all my sins. That Sabbath during that very same week, I started attending church again. It was great, that feeling I had. I attended church till I finally left for Andrews University.

Traveling internationally was something I had never ever done in my entire life. Arriving at the airport for departure to Australia, I could sense the nervousness and panic in my parents’ eyes. I still had my Andrews Study Bible during that time, and during my entire trip. Before departure, I did not even cried or hugged my parents but only shook their hands: because I knew if God kept me alive, then there has to be a reason for living. With my Andrews Study Bible, we departed for Australia. To cut the long story short, though Australia, Los Angeles, and Chicago airport was totally new to me, I finally arrived at South Bend airport around 11:00 pm (due to flight delays). Unfortunately, the transportation guise at Andrews University left due to the delay, and the entire airport was empty. But luckily to my amazement, there were only two taxis available. So I hopped on one, while I did not even have any idea where the location of Andrew University, or even where I’m supposed to spend the night. But thankfully to God’s mercy, love and grace, the old taxi driver volunteered to take me to a motel located close to Andrews University called Village Inn. He also charged me $40.00 for the entire trip (which I believe cost around $70), and even made sure that I was in the room before he left. Anyways, I then woke up around 12 pm and entered the campus of Andrews University.

Now that I’m already here within Andrews University with my same Andrews Study Bible, I could still hear this demonic satanic voices speaking but I know for sure “they can do nothing!” Yes, indeed they can do nothing because my Andrews Study Bible says Jesus Christ already won (as stated in Mathew 27). And the gift of eternal life is real (as stated in John 3:16). Even though at times while here, I get restless, tired, worn out, thrown out of my bed, strangled by this evil demonic spirits, but I still know nothing would happen because my God Jesus Christ already won. And as I keep growing in Christ every day while wearing the whole Amor of God, this evil slowly vanishes and becomes powerless. Yes, the devil may be intimidating, deceiving and cunning at times but I know for sure that the power of my God Jesus Christ through His blood on the cross, is much stronger and greater than the devil because He is God. Yes, He is the indescribable, awesome, omnipotent, omnipresent, infinite, everlasting, creator God and “The” Most High above The Highest. All I know is that He is coming soon, time cannot be manipulated or controlled by anyone else except God (unknown) and the power of choice is mine/yours!  And you know where I found Him? “From my Andrews Study Bible. Yes indeed! Thank you God for my Andrews Study Bible.